Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont wants to ensure patients are not affected by the legal wrangling holding up Yale New Haven Health’s purchase of three hospitals owned by a private health care company.
Cash flow problems at Waterbury, Rockville General, and Manchester Memorial hospitals owned by Prospect Medical Holdings — should not be allowed to affect patient care, Lamont said in response to questions from the media after a state Bond Commission meeting at the state Legislative Office Building in Hartford on Tuesday.
Lamont said an independent monitor is needed to help the state Department Of Public Health ensure patient safety.
“We submitted to Prospect just last week that I want a monitor on board to keep an eye on everything that’s going on in those hospitals to make sure patient safety is not compromised,” he said.
Yale New Haven Health had offered to buy the three hospitals for $435 million. But it has since sued Prospect claiming violations of its agreement including ongoing outstanding taxes, a federal investigation and Medicare problems in one hospital.
Prospect has countersued for the full amount, claiming Yale is intentionally reneging on the deal.
“We’ve met with these folks Prospect and Yale separately, we’ve met with them together twice, doing everything we could to get this deal done on behalf of the patients. And right now, the dispute lingers on," Lamont said.
